Prosecutors yesterday issued another wave of indictments against former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), charging him and four others with embezzlement in a case involving classified diplomatic projects.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Special Investigation Panel (SIP), in charge of probing the former president's corruption and money laundering cases, said it had completed its investigations.
Prosecutors allege that public funds earmarked for diplomatic relations were embezzled by Chen, former National Security Council secretary-general Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) and former deputy foreign minister Michael Kau (高英茂), as well as two others whose bank accounts were used in the process.
They allege that during Chen's term as president, he deliberately failed to return the remaining balance of government funds dedicated to improving foreign relations.
Chen, Chiou and Kau are accused of violatng the Punishment for Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例).
Chiou has been listed as a defendant since last October, when SIP prosecutors and investigators obtained a warrant to search his home and found documents that they believe proved his involvement in the alleged crimes.
Aside from this case, SIP prosecutors are investigating other crimes they suspect the former first family committed during Chen's term of office, including Chen's accepting bribes related to Yuanta Financial Holding's (元大金控) merger with Fuhwa Financial Holding Co (復華金控).
He is also suspected of accepting bribes from former Chinatrust Financial Holding Co (中信金控) vice chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒) in connection with Chinatrust's failed takeover bid of Mega Financial Holding Co (兆豐金控).
Prosecutors said they were probing more counts of money laundering, as well as friends of the former first family who are suspected of helping them hide cash and assets. These include the former president's family physician, Huang Fang-yen (黃芳彥), Yuanta Financial Holding Co president Victor Ma (馬維建) and Yuanta Financial Holding Co chief operating officer Michael Ma (馬維辰), all of whom are accused of helping Wu illegaly transfer funds overseas.
Huang has fled the country and is believed to be hiding in the US, where his family lives. He left for the US in November before prosecutors could question him about allegations that he helped Wu launder money.
SIP prosecutors yesterday also questioned former first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) about the second phase of financial reform and businesspeople who allegedly gave money to the former first family to “receive protection” during the financial reform.
Wu resides in Kaohsiung with her son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中).
Yesterday morning, the two paid a visit to Chen Shui-bian at the Taipei Detention Center, where he has been detained since Dec. 30.
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
CROSS-STRAIT: The vast majority of Taiwanese support maintaining the ‘status quo,’ while concern is rising about Beijing’s influence operations More than eight out of 10 Taiwanese reject Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework for cross-strait relations, according to a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday. The MAC’s latest quarterly survey found that 84.4 percent of respondents opposed Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for handling cross-strait relations — a figure consistent with past polling. Over the past three years, opposition to the framework has remained high, ranging from a low of 83.6 percent in April 2023 to a peak of 89.6 percent in April last year. In the most recent poll, 82.5 percent also rejected China’s
RSS